An Alternate Path
by LorenAnnesde
Summary: A few hours trapped in the crystal catacombs of Ba Sing Se affect Katara's and Zuko's decisions later in the series.


**This is a short scene from when Zuko and Katara were in the crystal catacombs in _The Crossroads of Destiny_. Since this is very different from the original sequence, I'll probably write one or two more chapters after it. Of course, reviews are appreciated, and the more I get, the faster I write!  


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"It's a scar," he replied, turning his head. "It can't be healed."

Katara reached a hand into a small pouch sewn into the inside of her sash. "This is water from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole." She held up a small vial with the water tribe symbol painted delicately on the side. He glanced at it fleetingly. The firebender was mainly focused on keeping his breathing even. There wasn't much space between him and the Water Tribe peasant, and he could smell the strange salty scent of her skin—she smelled like the ocean.

"I don't know if it would work, but…," she continued. He blinked, realizing he had missed part of what she had said in his distraction. She was coming even closer now, her bright blue eyes examining the left side of his face, the ruined side. She was really quite beautiful, with her mocha skin and even darker hair. Being so determined in his hunt for the Avatar, he had never paid close attention to his female companion—not even when he had her captured and threatened with pirates.

He closed his eyes. What was he thinking? She was his enemy—or, she was friends with his enemy. The girl stood in the way of complete redemption, and the restoration of his crown.

But did she really?

Azula had thrown him in this prison. She had ordered that he and Uncle were to be taken back to the Fire Nation as prisoners. His father had banished him, burned him. Did he really want to go back to a family so ruthless in their ambitions? Did he really think that after all the lies, they would keep the promise they made almost three years ago?

When her cool fingers brushed the edge of his scar, he flinched, but didn't back away from the touch. He could only feel the faintest trace of temperature, the nerves too damaged to heal. Oddly, he enjoyed the distant sense.

Her voice was only a whisper against the underside of his jaw. Her breath was chilly, more noticeable against the undamaged nerves of his neck. "Do you want me to?"

Zuko swallowed hard and wondered if she could see his pulse pounding in the hollow between his collarbones. He opened his eyes, and she was inches away, her full lips parted as she waited for his answer. The strange green glow of the crystals surrounding them made her skin shine glossily.

It would hardly take any effort—a slight stoop, hands sliding up—to make their mouths meet. He imagined that she would taste like the sea, too. Fresh and exhilarating.

He guiltily pulled away from her. "No. No, I can't let you do that."

The girl's disappointed expression made him think that maybe he wasn't the only one who had let his thoughts get away from him. "But—"

"It should be used for something important. You may need it."

She looked confused. "Zuko…"

"I want you to have it," he insisted.

After a few awkward moments of silence, she stepped toward him again. This time he didn't close his eyes when she brought her hands to his face, although his eyelids did flutter briefly when she pulled him down to her level. Her eyes were wide, trusting, when she murmured, "And I want _you_ to have it."

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The first brush of their lips was light, almost like it was an accident, but then she pressed more forcefully into him. The warmth that seemed to emanate from the prince was almost like a magnet in the damp catacombs, and she ran her hands hungrily down his chest to his stomach, hard and muscled underneath the fabric of his Earth Kingdom shirt. With her eyes closed, he felt just like any other refugee. And in a way, he was—he had been just as traumatized by the Fire Nation as she had. Maybe he deserved forgiveness for his past actions. They were the actions of a man who had lost his way, and was simply trying to find it again.

His response was equally as eager. He dove his fingers into her tangled hair, tugging her head sideways. She gave a keen cry of protest, and he immediately stopped, breaking the kiss. His eyes were wide and his pale lips had become slightly puffy. "Katara! Are you—are you okay?"

She smiled at his genuine concern. "Yes; yes, I'm fine. You just—you just pulled a little."

The relieved grin he returned was heartwarming, but it quickly disappeared. "You're going to need that water at some point, Katara."

She pushed her hair behind her ears. "I want to do this, Zuko. And if it doesn't work… I want to know that I tried."

The firebender just stared at her for a moment, before he closed his eyes and slowly nodded his acceptance. For a third time, the waterbender touched his face, his scar. She could feel the unbelievable damage just under the rough, pink skin. It was a long shot, but she felt hopeful that the water from the Spirit Oasis would be powerful enough to erase the old wound.

She tried to picture the left side of his face perfect, as perfect as the right. For some reason, she couldn't. The scar had always been a part of the Zuko she knew; without it, he would almost be a stranger.

The explosion of rock and green crystal jarred the pair away from each other. She wanted to call out to him, but the thick layer of dust that had settled over the cavern made her cough instead. When her eyes stopped watering, she took in the sight of their intruders.

"Aang!"

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**Any comments? Please review!**


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